Hunger Games

What else can I talk about this week other than the phenomenon that has taken the whole world by storm all within the last 6 months?  I am of course talking about the award winning trilogy, The Hunger Games.  This first book in the series, written by Suzanne Collins, has won many awards and has been on both the USA Today and New York Times best seller lists (100 weeks straight).  As most of you know the books are being made into movies, and the first one actually premieres today!  

Im sure many people who have heard the hype but not read the books are wondering why these books are so popular.  I actually just finished the trilogy yesterday, and it only took me a little over a week to read all of them because they were that good! The author of these books hit the nail on the head when it came to connecting to many different audiences.  The story itself is about a post-apocalyptic world in which different districts surrounding a capitol compete for food through a deathly anual competition called the Hunger Games.  That alone would attract one certain kind of audience, as I'm sure the subject of a post-apocalyptic world is a rather popular one among certain groups of people.  This also would attract male readers who are interested in these types of stories rather than romance novels.  However, Collins is very smart and attracts females to the books by using a strong female lead, and also writing an underlying love story behind the otherwise dismal story. 

Personally, I loved it.  There is so much of… well everything in this book!  There's an amazing story that you get absorbed into, indulging complicated characters, and a plot that would get anyone's attention.  I know many people who have never picked up a book in their life who read this novel in one day because the suspense is just too great! Suzanne Collins displays her uncanny skill as an author to capture her readers attention by using matter that she knows will surprise and shock her readers and make them feel like they are actually part of this story.  I recommend the book to anyone!